Popcorn is a classic American snack that has spread all over the world, becoming a staple in home snack pantries and at the movie theater. It's one of those rare snacks that is relatively low in calories, fat, and other unhealthy ingredients-at least when it's not smothered in butter and salt-while actually having some healthy ingredients. Most notably, popcorn is a good source of fiber, with about 15 grams per serving, and it also has protein, vitamins B1 and B2, and iron.

But there's much more to popcorn. Here are just a few of the most interesting things about this popular snack.

Popcorn origins: Popcorn has its origins among many different Native American tribes, and traces of the snack have been found from as far back as 5,000 years ago. In fact, it was so widespread in pre-Columbian America that scientists are not really sure where it came from. Basically, wherever people grew corn, there was popcorn.

The Native Americans typically flavored their popcorn with various herbs and spices. Some tribes even believed that there was a spirit inside each popcorn kernel, and that the popping happened as a result of the spirit getting angrier and angrier until it burst.

First popcorn machine: The first popcorn machine in history was created in the late 1800s by inventor Charles Cretor, who unveiled his creation in 1885 in Chicago. He soon began manufacturing and selling these machines, and the company that he founded is still going strong today.

Carnival and theater popcorn: It was around the same time-the late 1880s-that vendors began selling popcorn to carnival- and theater-goers. At first, the popcorn was sold by vendors outside of movie theaters, which annoyed the theater owners, inspiring them to begin selling the snack inside of the building. By 1912, at the dawn of the cinema age, this practice was widespread in movie houses throughout the United States.

Theater profits: These days, it's no secret that movie theaters make very little money from movie tickets. In fact, they get most of their profits from selling concessions, and popcorn is a huge part of this. You know that $7.00 bucket of popcorn you get at the theater? That costs no more than a few cents to make. In other words, popcorn comes with a huge profit margin.

How does it pop? Every popcorn kernel contains a tiny amount of moisture. When the kernel heats up, this moisture turns to steam, expands, and needs a way out. But because the corn kernel is airtight and impregnable, there is no way for the steam to seep through. Instead, it just explodes.

Where does it come from? Today, Nebraska is the largest producer of the corn that goes into popcorn. The state harvests around 250 million pounds of corn per year specifically for this purpose. North Loup, Nebraska bills itself as the "Popcorn Capital of the World," but there are other contenders for this title, including Marion, Ohio; Van Buren, Indiana, and Shaller, Iowa.

Caterina Christakos is a published author and reviewer. Read her latest reviews of the Black and Decker Oven and other Black and Decker appliances http://blackanddeckerappliancesstore.com/.